Panuku Development Auckland paving the way for Infrastructure Sustainability in New Zealand

Panuku Development Auckland paving the way for Infrastructure Sustainability in New Zealand

The Madden and Pakenham road upgrade project in Auckland’s waterfront precinct has been awarded with an ‘Excellent’ Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Design rating by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA). The rating was awarded to Panuku Development Auckland who piloted the IS rating scheme in New Zealand.

ISCA CEO Antony Sprigg says Panuku Development Auckland’s leadership in achieving an Excellent IS Design rating whilst piloting the IS rating scheme during the design of this project is admirable. “ISCA aims to recognise and encourage beyond business-as-usual sustainability activities in the planning, construction and operational phases of infrastructure projects.”

“We congratulate Panuku Development Auckland for achieving a ‘Excellent’ IS Design rating“ Mr Sprigg continued. “In addition to achieving New Zealand's first Design IS rating, Madden and Pakenham Road Upgrade pilot has inherently assisted with defining what the New Zealand IS rating tool should comprise.”

Madden and Pakenham Road Upgrade project achieved perfect IS rating scores in the Urban and Landscape Design theme. Key design considerations followed the principles of: connecting waterfront precincts, providing continuous waterfront access, establishing diverse public spaces, promoting an active and working waterfront, creating appropriate building height, scale and form, facilitating a mix of uses and activities, as well as promoting sustainable transport and urbanism.

Of great pride to Panuku is the value it places on a design-led approach that resulted in a perfect 5.10 score for the urban and landscape theme. “Unlike many infrastructure projects, where design and construction are outsourced, Panuku leads design and only outsources construction. We believe this allows us to set clear expectations and puts in place the mechanisms to ensure they are delivered through construction,” says Viv Heslop, who manages the IS rating process at Panuku.

Madden and Pakenham Road Upgrade project identified, through a multi-disciplinary workshop, direct and indirect climate change risks and adaptation measures to treat all high and medium risks. This included major improvements to the stormwater treatment system now designed to accommodate the 1 in 100 year storm event and allow for an increase in rainfall of 17% over the next 100 years due to the effects of climate change. Sea level rise of 1m is also incorporated into the design as the reticulated systems all discharge to the harbour.

The project team reduced construction carbon emissions by 27 percent and reduced their materials environmental footprint (EcoPoints) by 18 percent. The material foot print reduction was enabled through narrow street design, mudcreting techniques used for in-situ management and containment of contaminated soil, increasing the design life and reducing the embodied energy of the carriageway by using concrete instead of asphalt.

The project demonstrated leading management systems with a member of the senior management team having central responsibility for managing sustainability as well as publically committing to “achieving international best practice by moving into the zero net energy/water/waste and restorative space”. Suppliers on the Madden and Pakenham Road Upgrade project were requested to provide details of their sustainability policy and its implementation.

According to the interim CEO of Panuku Development Auckland, John Dalzell, “The value to the organisation has been in having an independent body scrutinise how Panuku is delivering on its sustainability commitments. We believe we have set a benchmark for other organisations in New Zealand to step up to.”